Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The Kwara State Government has filed an modification to its 20-count cost against two former governors of the state, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed, over the 2018 Offa financial institution theft case.
The authorities, nevertheless, dropped 18 of the unique expenses whereas retaining solely two, and including two new expenses.
In the amended cost sheet with Charge Number: KWS/114C/2026 signed by the State Attorney General, Senior Ibrahim Sulyman (SAN), which was sighted by THISDAY on Friday, the federal government diminished the overall variety of expenses to 4.
In the brand new cost sheet, counts 1 and a pair of, accused Saraki, Ahmed, Yusuf Abdulwahab and Alabi (*18*) of “conspiring to belong to gang of thieves” and “belonging to gang of thieves”.
Also, counts 3 and 4 accused the quartet of concealment and disappearance of a “vehicle used for illegal purpose”.
A movement on discover for the amended expenses dated November 6, 2026, has been filed by the prosecution and supported by a six-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Sulyman Mohammed-Jamiu, a litigation clerk within the workplace of the Kwara State AG.
With the brand new growth, the Kwara State Government has dropped all expenses referring to armed theft in regards to the Offa financial institution theft case against the previous President of the Senate, Saraki; Ahmed and the 2 different defendants who have been aides to the speedy previous governor.
It can be recalled that on the final sitting of the State High Court on the case on November 5, 2026, the choose, Justice Osuolale Ajayi reserved his ruling on the difficulty of whether or not he might proceed with the arraignment when the defendant has a pending utility for a keep of proceedings on the matter on the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal on November 3, 2026 suggested the lawyer to Ahmed, Mr J. A. Mumini (SAN), to make a proper utility for the court docket to difficulty an order that the events on the trial court docket ought to keep established order ante bellum, as a substitute of the oral submission that he made to the court docket.
The appellate court docket then adjourned the case to November 12, 2026.
The case on the trial court docket which commenced in April 2026 has not proceeded to trial because the court docket continues to be mired in a number of preliminary points which have been taken to the appellate court docket.
When contacted, a member of Saraki and Ahmed’s authorized group described the wrestle by the prosecution to press expenses against the 2 former governors as “a mockery of the judicial process and an exercise in futility”.
The lawyer famous that it was “a humorous flip of occasions to accuse two former governors of belonging to a gang of thieves.
“This is not only a shame to the establishment of governorship of our pricey state; additionally it is a drag on the title of our pricey state within the mud.
“And all this wrestle is simply because the current authorities desperately desires to see the previous governors within the dock. They moved from the case of armed theft to becoming a member of a gang of thieves.
“It is clear that the government is bereft of ideas on how to achieve its aim”.
The lawyer added that, “The current cost sheet just like the one they deserted will document no success.
“It will fall like a pack of badly organized playing cards. We will meet them in court docket.
“This is why we consider the AG needs to be extra assertive in advising his principal to cease chasing shadows.
“They must have resorted to this new amendment to the charges after realising they will not be able to achieve their aims with the unwieldy list of charges earlier filed. The new charges will not turn out better”.
Attempts by THISDAY to get the State AG and different legal professionals to the federal government to answer the brand new growth in regards to the amended expenses weren’t profitable.
However, sources near the state authorities advised THISDAY that the modification got here because of recommendation by the AG and different members of the prosecution group that the previous cost sheet can not assist the federal government to nail the defendants.
